Still a Spark
by insanekitty13
Summary: Now that Theresa is spending time with Ryan, will old feelings surface? (after 'The Heartbreak')
1. Reunited

Disclaimer: Please don't sue me! I don't own 'the OC' or any of it's characters.

This is my second OC fanfic. (This is set after 'The Heartbreak') Please R&R!

Since the Thanksgiving episode, I thought that Theresa and Ryan had chemistry, but no one wrote a Theresa Ryan shipper. Now that there is a possibility that they hook up, I decided to write this. 

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Still a Spark

Chapter 1: Reunited

Theresa's POV

There he is. He looks a little different, but sexy nonetheless. New clothes, new haircut, but still the same old Ryan. He's still short on words most of the time, but when he does say something, it's worth hearing. I admit, I didn't cater this event just for the money. I miss him a lot- his cute half smiles, his quiet personality, his baby blue eyes. Ever since I saw him on Thanksgiving, I realized that I still had feelings for him. I don't think I ever let go of him, even when he moved here, to Newport. 

When I look at him, I see a person that I could trust with my life, but I also see a lot of sadness and confusion. Last time I saw him, he looked so happy with Marissa. Now, he avoids talking about her. When he said that he wasn't with Marissa anymore, I couldn't help but feel relieved. I mean, I feel sorry that things didn't work out with her, but I still care about him.

Talking to him is easy as always. We picked up where we left off at Thanksgiving. Reminiscing about childhood in Chino always brings back good memories. Ryan's life changed for the better when he moved, but I wish things were like before Trey got arrested. Things were so simple, so easy. But I know I can't turn back time. Ryan seems happy, yet conflicted. I can see it in his eyes. I just hope he figures things out.

Ryan's POV

Theresa is catering the Valentine's Day Dance. Very unexpected. I do admit I'm happy to see her. It's nice to have someone who really understands you. I can talk to Seth, but it's not the same. He was brought up in the lap of luxury. He doesn't understand my past. Me and Theresa…we connect. She's like a shoulder I can lean on. I can depend on her, unlike Marissa. I admit, I did love Marissa. But now, I don't know how I feel. She chose Oliver over me time and time again. When she came over to apologize, I just couldn't forgive her. I still care about her, but I don't think things will ever be like they were before. I can't believe how easily Oliver came between us. Even if we did get back together, the trust level wouldn't be the same. 

Theresa on the other hand has never let me down. She was always there for me in Chino. I don't have to worry about her getting drunk or overdosing on drugs. She's one of the reasons that I didn't turn out like Trey. Theresa kept my head level. She kept me away from the drugs when she could and told me when I had too much to drink. I can trust her with anything. On Thanksgiving, I had so much more to tell her. When I moved to Newport, I thought I would never have to see her again. But now that Marissa and I are over, I've been thinking about Theresa more often. Sometimes I wonder why we still aren't together…

Marissa's POV

I want things to be the same as before- before I met Oliver. I wish Ryan would forgive me. But he can't forgive me unless he believes me. When he said he couldn't, my heart broke. I know I messed things up, but I didn't realize it was this bad. Things went from bad to worse at the setup for the dance. This afternoon I saw her. Theresa is catering the Valentine's Day Dance. Why does she have to be so nice and kind and pretty…why am I blaming Theresa? She's just being herself. She isn't the problem, I am. How could I be so naïve to Ryan's suspicions?

How could I do this to Ryan? At the debutante ball, he saved me from being dateless. In Tijuana, he got me to the hospital. He even stood up to my mom after I got out of the hospital. He's helped me out of a lot of tight situations. And what did I do to repay him? I totally ignored his warnings about Oliver and broke up with him after the library incident. I want to fix things, but how can I?

Valentine's Day Night…

There was a knock on the pool house door.

"Huh?" Ryan mumbled. His alarm clock read 1:24.

__

'Who the hell would be here at 1:30 in the morning?' Ryan thought._ 'Must be Seth.'_

"Seth, go back to bed! We can talk about Summer in the morning!" Ryan yelled.

"It's me, Theresa!" Theresa yelled back.

Ryan turned on the lights and stumbled his way to the door.

"Theresa? What are you doing here?" Ryan groggily asked.

"Can I come in?" Theresa asked.

"Yeah, sure."

Ryan and Theresa sat on his bed.

"So why are you here this late?" Ryan asked.

''You mean, this early," Theresa replied.

Ryan smiled but still wondered why Theresa couldn't wait 'til morning to visit.

"Well I have something to tell you…Ryan, I just want to tell you that I still love you."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds.

"Oh God. This was a mistake. I gotta go," Theresa said.

As Theresa left, something held her back. It was Ryan.

Theresa's POV

I was about to leave, when I felt Ryan's hand on my wrist. "Wait," he said. I looked back at him. He gave me that wait-a-second look. He looked like he was about to say something, but instead he kissed me. I was surprised, but nonetheless happy about what happened. "I love you too, Theresa," Ryan said. God, I was in heaven. I didn't have a care in the world. We talked for about half an hour, then I had to get home. I wished I could stay longer, but I told my mom I left my cell phone at the dance. Before I left, he gave me one last kiss. Now I can't wait until Newport's next social event.

Seth's POV

I could see the pool house lights from my bedroom window. Ryan usually isn't up at 2 in the morning, so I went to my window to check it out. I saw a yellow convertible parked outside the pool house. I never saw it before. A few minutes later, I saw Theresa coming out of the pool house and driving away. Then Ryan turned off the lights. 

Seth went to consult what he saw. He walked over to his desk and picked up Captain Oats.

"What do you think Theresa was doing in the pool house?" Seth asked.

'I don't know Seth. Maybe you weren't the only one who 'did the deed' this weekend,' Captain Oats 'replied.'

"Nah. I don't think Ryan would move on that quickly after the whole Oliver mishap."

'You never know, Seth. They were a couple in Chino.'

"Hold on. How do you know that?"

'I have my sources…'

"Well, I guess I'll ask him at breakfast. Thanks for your opinion, Captain Oats."

Seth placed Captain Oats back on his desk and went back to bed. 

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-eye-candi13


	2. Questions

Still a Spark

Chapter 2: Questions

Morning after Valentine's Day…

Ryan was already eating breakfast when Seth sat at the table.

"So why did you leave the dance early yesterday?" Seth asked.

Ryan looked suspicious but answered the question. "I got tired. Why do you ask?"

"Well let's say that I saw someone drop by for a late night visit."

"Yeah. Marissa came over to apologize."

"She did? How did that go?"

"I couldn't forgive her. She ran out of the pool house crying."

"Oh. Too bad. Well anyway, that wasn't who I was talking about."

"Who are you talking about?" Ryan asked.

"I'm talking about a young lady that goes by the name of Theresa."

"Oh."

"Oh? That's all you're giving me? A one syllable response? Come on, Ryan. What happened last night?"

"Nothing really, we just talked."

"Theresa came over last night just to talk?"

"Technically, she came in the morning."

"So what did you guys talk about? Comics, cars, video games…"

"Seth, why are you so interested in what happened yesterday?"

"It's in my nature, for I am Seth Cohen, the Asker of Questions, Master of Jenga!"

"Well if you really want to know, she told me that she still loved me."

"Whoa! What did you say?"

"I said that I loved her too."

"So does this mean that you and Marissa are over?"

"Yeah, basically."

"So did you guys, you know? Do 'the deed'?"

"No," Ryan replied. "Why is it that all you talk about lately is sex?"

"My dad told me that us Cohens are quote unquote, "very sexual beings," Seth replied.

"Way too much information."

Marissa's POV

When I woke up this morning, for a few seconds I felt great. I looked outside my bedroom window and it was a beautiful day. Then last night's events came rushing back to me. I remembered why I cried myself to sleep. I guess I know how Luke felt when he tried to make up with me—regretful, depressed, and angry. On Monday I'll have to put on that I'm-okay-with-being-just-friends face, while I'm really pining for Ryan on the inside. I went back to bed and hoped that the weekend would last forever so I wouldn't have to see his face…

Theresa's POV

I walk to the breakfast table with a smile on my face.

"Theresa, what makes you so happy today?" my mom asks. She knows I've been a little tense ever since she got laid off.

"Oh, nothing" I reply, but I know she can see right through me.

"Does this 'nothing' have to do with your catering job yesterday?"

"How did you know?" I ask. I swear, sometimes it seems like my mom is a psychic.

"Ryan always made you smile, even when you were little," she said while flipping over a pancake.

"He did?" I asked, doubting that this happened.

"Yeah, Theresa. When you were 7, do you remember when your dad and I got a divorce? After I told you, you ran out onto the porch in the pouring rain and cried. Ryan was riding his bike home and he saw you. He got off his bike and ran over to you. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I remember when you came back in the house you were soaking wet, but it was the first time I saw you smile in weeks."

I remember that that day was the day I first realized that I had a crush on Ryan. I still remember what he said to me that day. "No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you." That was 10 years ago, but I still can't resist smiling when I see him…

Meanwhile…

The phone was ringing at the Cohen house.

"I got it!" Seth yelled. He paused the ninja game he was playing with Ryan and ran to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Seth, It's Theresa."

"Oh, hi Theresa. Wait a second, lemme get Ryan." Seth walked over to Ryan and handed him the phone.

"Ryan?"

"Hey, Theresa."

"My mom knows."

"She knows what?"

"She knows that we're together."

"You told her?"

"Actually, no. She saw me smiling and she just knew."

"So I make you smile?" Ryan said with a smirk on his face.

"As if you didn't know that already…Well I was wondering if you could meet me at the beach today."

"Yeah, sure. What time?"

"Around 6?"

"Okay."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Ryan hung up the phone, not knowing that the Asker of Questions would strike again.

"So, Ryan, what did the lovely Theresa ask you?"

"She just wanted to go to the beach today."

"Oh, I see. Well what time are you going?"

"6:00. Why are you asking?"

"Just wondering… What time will you be back?"

"I dunno." 

"So what was with that 'love you too' stuff about? Are things serious between you two already?"

"Yeah. We were together in Chino before I moved here."

"Oh."

"Seth, why are you asking so many questions?"

"Just doing my job," Seth mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing." 

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Please review!

-eyecandi13


	3. Realizations

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC or any of it's characters.

A belated thank you to f-lix-er, DaNcEjSt4U, Acacia Jules, char, dizzy25, dstrbd child, pinkBubblebum23, mare, and benzbabidoll for the reviews!

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Still A Spark

Chapter 3: Realizations

6:30 that night…

When Theresa got to the beach Ryan was already there waiting for her.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late. I got caught up in a catering job, then my car wouldn't start so I had to borrow Arturo's and-"

"Shhh," Ryan said. "Calm down."

Ryan cupped her face and kissed her.

"Thanks. I needed that."

They sat down on the sand, Theresa leaning against Ryan's shoulder. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company.

"So, how's life going for you so far, Ryan?"

"It's…complicated. There's Seth, constantly asking questions, school's not looking good and there's-"

"Me and Marissa," Theresa continued. "Ryan, I know that my coming here complicated things, but I want you to know that I'd leave if you wanted me to…"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Why be with me if Marissa still loves you?"

"I'm with you because I love you."

Theresa's POV

One look into his baby blue eyes and I knew he was telling the truth. Sometimes I wondered why Ryan chose me over Marissa. There are lots of reasons a guy would want her- she's beautiful, smart and sweet. But when Ryan told me he loved me, all my insecurities faded away with the tide and I couldn't help but smile…

"Thanks, Ryan."

"Thanks for what?" Ryan asked.

"For understanding me."

Ryan and Theresa sat there watching the spot where the clouds met the ocean...

*****

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"I don't understand why…  
See it's burning me to hold onto this  
I know this is something I gotta do  
But that don't mean I want to…  
What I'm trying to say is that I love you  
I just…I feel like this is coming to an end  
And its better for me to let it go now than hold on and hurt you  
I gotta let it burn…" 

-'Burn' by Usher

Outside Harbor High…

Marissa's POV

"Hey, Marissa," Ryan said.

"Hey," I replied. I could tell by the look on his face that he was going to say something important.

"Look, we need to talk."

"I knew this would happen eventually," I say to myself. I knew exactly what he was going to talk about. I've played this conversation in my head a million different times, and every time it ended in me crying.

"Things between us-"

"Ryan, don't…" I say, but I know I'm just delaying the inevitable.

"Marissa, I need to say this. Things between us…they'll never go back to the way they were before. I…I just want you to know that I still care about you…"

I smile because maybe this won't end up in tears after all…

"But I don't want to give you false hope. Friends are all we'll ever be…" Ryan said. I guess this will end in tears after all.

I felt like exploding into tears, but I somehow managed to put on an almost happy façade. I looked into his eyes and knew he was telling the truth. No matter what I say or do, what happened, happened and there's nothing to it.

"Thanks for being honest," I quietly replied looking at my feet so he wouldn't see the stray tear rolling down my cheek.

He walked away without a word. I pulled myself together and headed to third period…

Ryan's POV

As I walked away from Marissa, I felt horrible. Seth's been telling me that Summer has been worried about Marissa. She's said Marissa's been depressed lately and hasn't been acting the same. I've been noticing it too. When I see her on campus, she usually looks like she's a lost little girl. It was hard to say that we would only be friends. I could see the pain in her eyes…But it's the truth. There's no way to sugarcoat it. I didn't want Marissa to think that there was a chance of things going back to what they used to be…it would hurt her even more if I just strung her along. I just hope she realizes that…

Tuesday after school…

Marissa's POV

Surprisingly, therapy helped me a lot today. Usually all I hear is blah, blah, blah but after talking to my new therapist, Dr. Moore, I felt a lot better. She told me to deal with what happened without using drugs and vodka, but friends and family. She made me promise to break my bad habits. My dad understood how I felt and helped a lot through all of this. Now that I talk to him more often, I realize that he can relate to me more than I thought.

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Please review!

-eyecandi13


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